2024 Nebraska MTSS Summit
Super Systems for Success
September 26 and 27, 2024 – Hybrid
Join us this fall for the 2024 Nebraska MTSS Summit on Sept. 26 and 27 in Kearney! The two-day event, hosted by the Nebraska Department of Education’s Office of Special Education, will feature engaging presentations and interactive breakout sessions around the theme of “Super Systems for Success.”
Participants may register to attend the summit in person at the Younes Conference Center North or participate in sessions virtually.
Registration is now open and is expected to close Aug. 15, unless capacity is reached before that date. Registration for virtual or in-person attendance is $125.
Visit the summit website for more information, including hotel/lodging details, or go directly to the NDE registration page.
About the theme
The summit will feature keynote and breakout sessions focused on four key strands — school safety, behavior, multi-tiered systems of support and foundational literacy — recognizing the synergy that arises when these individual strands form connections within a strong school system. Sessions will provide educators with opportunities to develop their individual “superpowers” to systematically promote inclusive practices and support staff in improving outcomes for all students.
The summit will serve as an introduction and expansion of work educators are starting or have already begun with NeMTSS workshops and implementation support.
Call for Proposals
Summit Learning Space
NDE’s Office of Special Education invites participation proposals for the Summit Learning Space (SLS). The Summit Learning Space will be a special space set aside for the exchange of ideas, research, programs, products, services and other related content during this year’s summit. It will take place from 2:45-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. Each presenter in the SLS will be provided a skirted banquet table to share information in a visual format, such as a research poster and easel, print material, computer setup, etc. This is an opportunity to share your research and other practical information with educators in a visually engaging way, while allowing attendees to ask questions. We invite proposals related to the summit’s four focus areas, detailed below.
For full consideration, please submit your proposal by June 10, 2024. Proposals must be submitted via this Google form.
2024 Summit Focus Areas:
- School safety presentations will relate to providing guidance and support to schools to prevent, prepare, respond and recover from incidents that impact the safety and security of students and staff. More information can be found on the Nebraska School Safety office’s website.
- Behavior presentations will relate to strategies to teach, promote and reinforce positive behavior within a multi-tiered system of support.
- Multi-tiered systems of support presentations will relate to systems development, including infrastructure and shared leadership, collaboration and communication, layered continuum of supports and data-based decision-making.
- Foundational literacy presentations will relate to high-quality foundational literacy instruction anchored in the most current research that supports achievement of literacy proficiency for ALL students, as well as support for, and implementation of, evidence-based literacy instruction across a multi-tiered system, including the use of a data-based, problem-solving process.
The NeMTSS Framework may also be referenced to help tailor your proposed presentation to the audience.
School Spotlights
Nebraska schools may submit proposals for school spotlight sessions using this Google form. We are currently looking for proposals for 60-minute presentations that align with the four key strands and are of interest to Nebraska educators.
School spotlights will be categorized into the four strands from above to help participants personalize their summit experience. The four strands include school safety, behavior, multi-tiered systems of support and foundational literacy. Spotlights should relate to one of the strands in addition to highlighting successful MTSS implementation in Nebraska schools.
For more information, please reach out to the NeMTSS Regional Support Lead assigned to your region. Contact information can be found on the NeMTSS team page.
Keynotes
Meet this year’s keynote presenters:
- Ali Hearn, LCSW, national speaker, trainer and coach, Ali Hearn Coaching + Consulting
- Katie Novak, Ed.D., founder and executive director, Novak Education
Ali Hearn, a nationally recognized speaker, trainer and coach whose mission is to shift mindsets and ignite fires within others to create sustainable change and impact. Hearn has worked with thousands of educators across the U.S., emphasizing the importance of improving social-emotional skills, promoting Restorative Practices within school systems, and reinforcing MTSS frameworks to better support students, staff and families. Her diverse experiences as a school-based social worker sparked her passion for working with people, and her years working with the Midwest PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Network, in partnership with the National Center on PBIS, honed her skills in strengthening school systems and culture to positively impact students’ social, emotional and academic outcomes. Hearn’s balance of energy, humor, candor and heart not only inspires educators to make schools better — but empowers them to know they can. Hearn holds a master’s degree in social work from Loyola University in Chicago, and is a certified Restorative Practices trainer and licensed clinical social worker. She shares monthly strategies, reflections and resources with a growing online community through her “SPARKS.”
Katie Novak is an internationally renowned education consultant, author and adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Novak previously served as assistant superintendent of schools in Massachusetts and has more than 20 years of experience in teaching and administration. She earned a doctorate in curriculum and teaching from Boston University, and is the author of several published books, including the best-selling books, “UDL Now! A Teacher’s Guide to Applying Universal Design for Learning in Today’s Classrooms,” “Equity By Design” and “The Shift to Student-Led.” Novak designs and presents professional learning opportunities, both nationally and internationally, focusing on the implementation of UDL, MTSS and universally designed leadership. Novak’s work has been highlighted in many publications, including Edutopia, Language Magazine, Forbes, Mindshift, ADDitude Magazine, AMLE Magazine, Huffington Post, ASCD Education Update and School Administrator.